American Top 40 icon Casey Kasem dies

Casey Kasem has died in Washington, aged 82.

The former American Top 40 radio host, who presented the syndicated show for nearly four decades, passed away on Sunday afternoon Australian/New Zealand time from complications related to dementia.

Daughter Kerri released a statement on behalf of the family saying in part;

"Early this Father's Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends. Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken."

Kasem was the anchor of the American Top 40 from July 1970 to August 1988, which at it's height broadcast on 1,000 radio stations around the world in 50 countries.

He eventually handed the show over to Ryan Seacrest, who tweeted Kasem’s catch phrase upon his death (see below).

Kasem was a radio icon who was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1992, and received Billboard’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.

For 40 years he was also the voice of 'Shaggy' in the cartoon series Scooby Doo, and voiced characters on Sesame Street and countless other television shows.

You can see the tribute page to Kasem at the AT40 site here, and relive one of Kasem's most famous on air moments below, when the long distance dedication segment went pear-shaped.

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and below a full show of the American Top 40 from 1988.

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